Lonliness Doesn't Have To Be Forever
by Clare bear 48
Summary: This came from a Challenge piece. Sully felt lonely and he saw the beautiful new lady Doctor.Wishing he could get to know her but having doubts. After talking to Daniel he decided to take a chance.


**Loneliness Doesn't Have To Be Forever.**

By Clare Quinn

A/N this was a challenge piece with two pictures and two quotes. The pictures are Sully blowing a Dandelion seed, and the other Sully and Daniel on a log talking. The two quotes are underlined and _italic._

Byron Sully had been many times in his life in a position that he felt lonely and alone. Firstly after his family had all passed away; their dreams shattered one by one since they had arrived in the new country of America. His father was a farmer, and his heart had just pure broken when he could no longer live on the land. He needed dirt under his nails and producing food for their table as his family had done for generations. The soot from the smoking factory caused a cough and wheeze that eventually killed him. Then there was his brother who because of a stupid dare from the older boys had fallen from the horse, his foot caught in the stirrup he'd been dragged to his death. In her extreme grief his mother had waded into the Hudson River, her long skirt and many petticoats causing her to finally drown.

Yes, then he had been alone and more lonely than he could ever imagine in his young years. The word solitary came to mind as he was taken to the poor house as the sole survivor of the Sully family. The loneliness was over whelming him but as luck would have it he met the boy whom was to become his lifelong friend, Daniel Simon. He was bigger physically than he and he took Sully's side till the others ceased picking on the new kid. Sully didn't feel isolated anymore. These two would lie in the grass at night, looking at the dark star-studded sky. Their dormitory room was too stuffy and smelly for them to get to sleep, boys sniffing, crying and coughing keeping them awake.

Daniel had been a city boy and had never ventured far. Sully remembered the lessons his pa had taught him pointing towards the sky. He used to point up saying_, __"Just look for the North Star. Comes in handy when you lose your way."_

Daniel could not see Sully's finger but knew that he knew what he was talking about. What he hadn't learned from book learning he knew from his life's experiences. So the two at the tender age of ten hatched their plan to escape: they would travel West.

So they found themselves in the shunting yards of the New York train yards. They watched the wagons of goods being shoved here and there. Asking the busy rail road workers where some of the trains were headed. They slowly formed a plan and chose the train least watched to make their escape. They had hoarded food and anything they felt would be handy and stuffed it into the stinky kapok mattress on their beds that never were inspected. Both these young boys now had something to look forward to. They were no longer forced to be loners they had a true friend their-family. Sully knew they needed to keep the North Star to their right to be travelling west. Gold was being found out in the frontier and who would worry about two runaways?

There was the thin iron rail that now wove through the country to new and exciting places. So the boys hitched rides were ever they could. They were scratching out a living from even poorer people, willing to share a meagre meal with two stray lads. They worked for a farmer here or there planting corn or milking cows, anything that would give them a morsel in their hungry bellies.

No longer solitary they now were a pair. They had a companionship they had lacked for quite awhile. The bond became thick like a ribbon that would take a lot to break.

When there was no trains to jump aboard they would walk the dusty roads hoping that they could hitch a ride for a few miles to rest their weary legs. No longer since steam had arrived were there the large wagon trains going west. Many now chose the steam trains or the steam boats going around the horn. These cost money the kids could not afford.

The land crossings with horses and wagons had been the main form of transport for years now with the stream engine this was all changing.

It was now folk legend about the ill-fated Donner-Reed Party expedition of 1847 that perished in snow. Eighty nine people left and only forty five survived. Most died from a blizzard and starvation. They had been convinced to try a quicker trail and winter had caught them unawares.

Most of the gold seekers found safe passage on the Oregon Trail.

The boys also heard a very strange story about some California immigrants who stated they had seen an Elephant. The boys had no idea what an elephant looked like for they had never seen one other than on a drawing.

The tale originated when a farmer decided to take his produce to town and go and see the circus elephant. On the way he met the circus and the huge beast. His poor horse became spooked by the strange animal and ran off in fright, ruining the farmer's goods. The farmer replied "But I don't give a hang, for I have seen an elephant". (Levy and Mace 2004)

Having seen an elephant became a saying that said they had a very difficult journey along the trail.

Finally thin and starving the duo arrived at the field and as they were small and young they found work and Daniel had a dream to become rich. So he went off when Sully fell in love.

Sully found a young woman and married her and sadly she passed away when she had their first child, a little girl he called Hanna.

After that he went off to the army and eventually came back to the only home that he had happy memories of. During the gold rush Sully witnessed the numerous attacks on the Native Americans, who were attacked and forcibly removed from their lands. He was not happy and hundreds of thousands were killed and many were murdered.

The impact of the gold rush was damaging to the environment as well, especially as they did harm to rivers and lakes, causing illness and disease.

So once again Sully found himself lonelier than he had for some time. One day he met and was befriended by the Cheyenne Medicine Man Cloud Dancing.

He was no longer isolated but the feeling was still not the same as having someone close. He was still lonely.

He had been into the town and seen the new lady doctor. She had been so close he could smell her scent, and her hair mesmerised him.

One day sitting on a large rock he was sharpening his tomahawk when he discovered a flowering dandelion. As a child they had heard that blowing the seeds to the winds of the four directions and wishing for something could possibly come true. So he puffed out his cheeks and blew, making a wish. "I wish to marry the lovely doctor." Chuckling at the absurdity of such a ridiculous wish he continued with the task of sharpening the weapon.

As the months progressed the two became close and he could just about convince himself that his solitary life may finally be over.

Un-expectantly he had a visit from Daniel. They often went out to the forest and sat on a log and talked for hours.

Daniel's dream of becoming rich had become true, but he was saddened by the fact his best friend was single again. He saw how lonesome Sully had become and they talked about what had occurred in Colorado Springs since he had left.

"Your remind me of a lone wolf," Daniel stated.

Laughing, Sully explained that when he and the lady doctor had gone out looking for a turkey for Thanks Giving that discussion had come up. Daniel saw the gleam in his friend's eyes as he spoke of the beautiful woman and how he had tried to tell her about the idea. He'd smirked when she actually thought they were looking for a wolf.

"Have ya asked her out?" Daniel asked.

"Course not, she wouldn't be interested in me," Sully stated.

"Well, I'd say she is interested as ya spend a lotta time together. Nobody deserves to be lonely, Sully." There was a silence before he continued, _"It takes time, but one has to believe that people are good at heart." _

Looking at his friend Sully considered what his friend had said.

He wondered why he had not thought before about this. This had been times when they been alone and they trusted each other. She had the biggest heart in anyone he had ever met. Was it possible? Could his isolated, lonesome life be a thing of the past?

The next day he cleaned up. With his best ragged shirt and cleanest buckskins on, he took a bunch of flowers to his old homestead and nearly turned and ran when she emerged from the house and saw him.

"Sully, are those for me?" smiling she asked looking at the brightly yellow sunflowers in his shaking hand wondering_."Did he know these were her favourites?"_

"Yep... I was wondering if you'd like to go for a walk with me?" he asked kicking the toe of his moccasin on a stone. Looking up his breath hitched as the smile spread over her face and lit her eyes, and she placed the flowers on the step.

He held out his hand which she instantly took and they walked away from the homestead. His smile was as broad as hers and they looked at each other, knowing this was the beginning for both of them.

Neither would be lonely again as they had found a companion to spend hopefully the rest of their lives with.

Picking up a dandelion flower he offered it to Michaela, and she blew the seeds to the wind. He simply knew that she had wished the same as he had many months before.

The End


End file.
